Dark Wings
by KirasTastefulTragedy
Summary: This is a One-Shot of Vincent. He is full of anguish. Facing his inner demons, hating what he has been left as. Is he a monster? he watches over someone he can never see again, forever waltzing with the night.


_Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy 7 or the characters. I also do not own 'dark wings' the song by Within temptation._

_Note: I started writing this One-shot about Vincent, with no particular direction or theme. I was just feeling very dark and poetic thoughts about his character. I tried to stay with the theme of his love/pain relationship with Lucrecia. As I was about half way through I realized that it was vaguely like a within temptation song I liked. I then looked up the full lyrics (I didn't know all of them) and it fit beautifully! Then I decided to name it the same as the song! *blush* (I stink at titles….)_

**Dark Wings**

I am human. I am flesh and bone. There are scars that I bear on my skin. Does that show that I am imperfect like everyone else? Or does it meld me even more into being a monster.

The taste of a sun ripened fruit, right off the vine. Can I taste the golden drops of sunshine as they mingle with the saliva in my mouth? Will the fruit that this plant slaved to bear for its own reproduction, be salvaged for my own enjoyment or the piteous needs of my body. Be it human or monster? Does the sweet taste make me be more?

My eyes dance behind the veiled mask of my demeanor. They carry blood through their advanced veins just like everyone else. But does that color bleed into everyone's irises to make them a monster like me?

-'_Why was I one of the chosen ones?_

_Until the fight I could not see  
_

_The magic and the strength of my power  
_

_It was beyond my wildest dreams_'-

I waltz on the wind like wolves in the full moon light through fog as dense as milk. They howl out in loneliness, singing their song to a chorus of night's sounds. I weep in silence with dry eyes because I can't sing. Who would I sing to, the night? Do I join their haunting chorus? Or to I continue my waltz alone with my tethered and tainted flesh?

A dark gift, my wings and soul haunt me. I'd not asked to be shredded from life, from you, from honor. I'll take my cursed gift and hold this power in my closed fist, burning out the hearts of those that wish to strike me. I'll remain your cursed watchman. With my dark wings I'll hold myself alone.

-'_Dark wings they are descending_

_See shadows gathering around_

_One by one they are falling_

_Every time they try to strike us down_'-

I have a shadow, not just in my own soul but outside as well. She follows me around constantly. She reminds me of what I could have been and who we could have saved. She taints my blood; I can taste her when I bite down on my lip, the rivulets of blood morph in my senses to become her. She tells me of how she couldn't let me die. Why couldn't you let me die with honor?

Haunting my every breath she has yet to tell me why, why did she give me this cross to bear? My sins have become heavy on my soul and I cannot accept my fate.

I am alone through the twilight hours and gaze out as the sun disappears around the planet once more to become with Gaia's other face. I embrace the sweet breeze of night again and wait for the chorus to begin again. Why did you leave me here, alone with my sins and tainted, to live a hundred deaths and never find the peace of even one.

-'_Don't you die on me_

_You haven't made your peace_

_Live life, breathe, breathe_

_Don't you die on me_

_You haven't made your peace_

_Live life, breathe, breathe_'-

Your heartbeat feels so close. I cannot leave it behind. I am your cursed guardian. I don't have a life of my own. It died when I became a monster. Or did the monster die when it became one with me.

I'll hold my revolver as it pulses in my hand, as close to me as my skin. I breathe in and become one with it. Squeeze and fire it. The bullets are my eyes, I fly on their path free for a moment, I see as they hit their mark and dig in. The creature's soul becomes mine. I can take life, or spare it. I am a hunter and the hunted, a disgusting monster of the night. Or am I the protector of it?

-'_Dark wings they are descending_

_See shadows gathering around_

_One by one they are falling_

_Every time they try to strike us down_'-

One night so very long ago I loved you. Worshiped your every word and wished for nothing less than to be your guardian. Why did fate lend its spiteful claws to me? I'm only a meager nothing. I don't deserve or desire the power that was handed to me. But because I loved you, I wanted to protect you.

I stood by helpless as you handed your body to a hideous man. You had aspirations and I didn't want to hurt your growth. But why did you throw your life away… and your son's. I stood up to fight for you, an honorable thing despite allowing it to happen in the first place. Yet even that, you wouldn't let me finish… die an honorable death… even that, was taken from us both.

-'_As they took your soul away_

_The night turned into the day_

_Blinded by your rays of life_

_Gave us the strength we needed_'-

I stood by, locked in a vial of my own personal demons while you were taken away. No, you ran away. You left me with my demons and a responsibility far too big for one tainted being as myself to carry. Along with power and strength fused into my soul was a darkness, so blindingly black I'd never see the brilliant light of day without cringing ever again. I pounded on my glass prison to be freed. To taste the day one more time with you by my side.

-'_Dark wings they are descending_

_See shadows gathering around_

_One by one they are falling_

_Every time they try to strike us_'-

When I awoke from my nightmarish rebirth I could only bend my head in shame. You were gone, taken from me, by your own hand and by the hand of evil. I'll hide my face from the world from this day forth. And embrace the monster I am. Not human, yet far too human. I am a mixture of all things with power and magic. I am Chaos and orchestration all in one.

A dark gift, my wings and soul haunt me. I'd not asked to be shredded from life, from you, from honor, but I'll take my cursed gift and hold this power in my closed fist, burning out the hearts of those that wish to strike me. I'll remain your cursed watchman. With my dark wings I'll hold myself alone.

-'_Dark wings they are descending_

_See shadows gathering around_

_One by one they are falling_

_Every time they try to strike us down_'-

I am chosen. Listen for my silent cries when the moon is full. I'll be dancing with wolves in the milk white fog. Watch for the shadow of my dark wings. I will remain here with you, living and breathing. With no escape…


End file.
